With your hand in my hand (and a pocket full of soul)
by Cougar'sCatnip
Summary: When Cougar stumbles out of the jungle with his senses going haywire, only one person seems to be able to help him, his new room mate Jake Jensen.
1. Chapter 1

**With your hand in my hand (and a pocket full of soul) **

By Cougars_catnip

**Prologue **

Dr. Justin Saunders bypassed his desk in favor of the dubious comfort of the old battered recliner a private had dragged into his office for him. He placed his coffee cup on the side table and opened the book a colleague sent him after the debacle of his misdiagnosis of Sergeant Alvarez. He shuddered when he realized just how close the new Sentinel had come to death. If Corporal Jensen had not been there, right at hand and a latent Guide to boot, he had no doubt they would have lost the sniper to madness and a fatal zone. As it was the partnership was on shaky ground with neither of the pair wildly enthusiastic about being tied together for life. Not that they had much choice, once the Bond had set in it was too late for either of them. Still he felt some hope for the two vastly different men. If they hadn't been compatible on some level the Bond would never have taken in the first place and Sgt. Alvarez would be dead. Justin sighed and opened the book to the first of the bookmarks...

* O *

_~ Excerpts from A Study of Sentinels and Guides in Modern Society by Dr. Blair Sandburg_

"_A Sentinel is chosen because of a genetic advantage: a sensory awareness that can be developed beyond normal humans." ~ Sir Richard Burton, personal journal-1849_

Justin rolled his eyes. While neither genetics nor Sentinel medicine were his field of study, it didn't even take a first year med student to tell you that much. Hell, this was something you learned back in grade school.

_In the mid 1800's Sir Richard Burton revealed to the world the existence of Sentinels and their companions, which came to be known as Guides. In the first half of the 20th century The Bureau of Sentinel-Guide Affairs was formed with the mission to identify and train Sentinels and Guides. Most are identified in childhood and attend special schools to learn how to control and utilize their abilities. These individuals are partnered with a specifically picked guide from the time they are brought into the program, in the hopes that the Bond will form resulting in a stable working partnership._

Justin still remembered the Sentinel and Guide who came and spoke at his school before the 5th grade children were tested to see if they presented either as Sentinels or Guides. That year there had only been two and he was not one of them. He flushed to remember how disappointed he had been, although his parents had seemed relieved. Now as an adult he was glad he was normal, especially in light of what Sgt. Alvarez had gone through. Turning his attention back to the book, he flipped to the next bookmark.

_The majority of Sentinel/ Guide pairs go into the military, law enforcement or some kind of field work such as Search and Rescue. A few stay with the Bureau and teach the next generation. And some slip through the cracks and aren't identified until adulthood._

Justin frowned. Sgt. Alvarez must have been tested when he was a child. How could he not have been identified? He jotted the question down on a pad and tapped his pen against his teeth as he thought. Even more so how could Corporal Jensen have slipped through the cracks and not been identified as a Guide. If the genes for each were latent what had turned them on? He wrote that down as well. Was it environmental? Or some other more mysterious process? Alvarez had been isolated for a month as he made his way out of the jungle and that could very well have been the trigger. But that didn't explain Jensen. What had been the catalyst for turning his latent genes active? Making a note to check various medical publications in the morning, he continued reading.

_Adult Sentinel Onset is greatly feared due to the higher rate of Sentinel Psychosis, a condition brought on by cascading senses spiraling out of control leading to insanity, zone out and death. If a Guide cannot be found for the newly online Sentinel, death is inevitable._

It had been such a very close thing. If Corporal Jensen hadn't been right there and acted so quickly, the hospital could well have turned into a massacre. Justin shuddered at the thought of an out of control, spec ops trained Sentinel blindly lashing out at perceived enemies as his mind descended into madness and chaos. And it would all have been his fault for misdiagnosing the Sergeant's condition. How could he have been so blind as to have missed it? In retrospect it was quite obvious and he would be lucky if they allowed him to continue to practice medicine. Of course if he was capable of making such a stupid mistake, then maybe he had no business trying to be a doctor at all. The next time his patient might not be so lucky. He stopped his thoughts right there. He knew he was a good doctor and the answer wasn't to quit. The answer was to learn, to educate himself so that he would never make that particular mistake again. Firmly thinking of all the people he had been able to help over the years, he resolutely turned the page and kept reading.

_Little is understood about the nature of the Sentinel-Guide Bond, other than it is a lifelong partnership that causes major physiological changes to each of the partners. It is not understood how or why this occurs, but observation and testing has confirmed its existence. Once the bond has formed there is no way to break it that will not result in the death or insanity of both partners. For this reason any attempt to separate the partners, or tamper with a Bond in any way, is considered a criminal offense that is met with ferocious and vigorous opposition. In such cases, Sentinels and Guides are exempt from criminal prosecution if it can be proved that tampering with the Bond led to either partner entering a feral state and/or that they acted in self-defense or the defense of their partner._

Justin set his notepad down and took a sip of his now cold coffee. Absently he rose and got a fresh cup all the while thinking about this development. It was obvious that there were changes in both his patients but what had brought those about he had no clue. According to the few tests he had run even their brain chemistry was altering and Jensen had mumbled something about being able to feel where Alvarez was, even when he was in a different part of the hospital entirely.

The Sergeant had been much less forthcoming but Justin noticed he was extremely protective of the Corporal, to the point of violence. Last night's incident was a case in point. One messed up blood draw and Sgt. Alvarez had just about rearranged Spc. Breemam's face and again it had been Jensen who stopped his new partner with a few softly spoken words and a gentling touch, but an even bigger question was what had made Corporal Jensen go feral as well? Guides were supposed to be the stability in the pair. But Jensen had reacted with a Sentinel like intensity when he felt Alvarez had been threatened, falling back on instinctual behavior.

Justin shuddered to think what Jensen would have done if he hadn't had the good sense to back off and let the man calm down and see they meant his Sentinel no harm. There was just so much they didn't know about the bond.

_Due to the intimate nature of the Bond, Sentinels and Guides rarely, if ever, develop romantic ties outside of the bond. Same sex pairs are therefore encouraged to submit genetic samples for research and procreation._

Justin stared at the last bookmarked section in shock. This had the potential for a great deal of trouble for the new pair. He wondered if either of them knew about this aspect of the Bond. As it was neither of them was exactly happy to be paired to begin with, but then to be told they would be tied so closely together that they would not be able to tolerate a relationship outside their own bond? He didn't think that unhappy would even begin to describe how they would feel about that. Perhaps he should arrange for sedation before they were informed. Justin snorted, he could just imagine what the Corporal's reaction would be to the idea of drugging his Sentinel. The knife of protectiveness, as he had already demonstrated, cut both ways after all, and tech or not, the Corporal was also spec ops and a highly trained and efficient killer. No, whichever way they were informed, their reaction was not going to be pretty.


	2. Chapter 2

Ch. 1

Sgt. Carlos "Cougar" Alvarez lost his rifle in the same explosion which separated him from his temporary team and left a fragment of metal nestled up against his ilium crest. Almost four weeks later he stumbled out of the jungle with shrapnel still in his hip, blisters on his feet and every sense so sharp it hurt.

As he emerged from the gloom of the underbrush and into the clearing around the camp his eyes watered from the bright light. The smell of his own body was so rank it made him retch and pop a cold sweat as he fought to keep the water he drank inside his battered frame. His head pounded from the cacophony of a busy camp around him. Even the faint lub-dub of his heartbeat sounded like thunder in his ears. But the worst was how the tiniest movement made his skin feel like it was on fire, like his clothes were a dull razorblade scraping across broken flesh.

He'd barely been able to keep down a single bite of food since the whole thing had started and even now, nausea roiled in his gut in waves. He gagged at the stench that emanated from the small guard hut set just off the road into the base.

Then like someone had leaned out and flipped a switch it all stopped and he felt almost normal again. If the last month was anything to go by, the respite wouldn't last for long, but if he managed to report and make it to the medics before it overwhelmed him again he would count it as a win. Maybe if he was lucky they would be able to cure whatever damn bug he had picked up out in the jungle.

* O *

Dr. Saunders looked over the test results and frowned. He paced across the room and hung the chart on the hook at the end of the bed.

"Well, Sergeant. I really am at a loss as to what to tell you. We can't find a single thing wrong, other than the shrapnel wound and various contusions, you show no sign of damage or disease. Quite the opposite in fact. Your eyesight and hearing test perfect and we can find no medical reason for the rest of your complaints. If I had to make a guess I would say perhaps the extreme sensitivity is due to an allergic reaction of some kind. We can run more tests, but honestly Sergeant, I don't think it will do any good."

Cougar bit back his dismay and held the doctor's gaze. Every instinct was screaming at him to go to ground, but if he freaked out now he was going to end up in the psych ward. He forced his muscles to relax and gave the doctor a small smile. "That is good to know. I am sorry to have wasted your time, sir."

The doctor smiled. "You haven't wasted our time, it has been an interesting puzzle if nothing else. When you get back to Bragg, go see your primary care physician. Right now what concerns me most, however, is your weight loss and getting this wound healed up. So we will be keeping you a few days."

* O *

When the orderly brought Cougar back from the debriefing he noticed the curtain in his room was drawn and he could hear someone shifting in the bed behind it, it appeared he had acquired a roommate. As the orderly helped him back into bed, Cougar caught a glimpse of cornflower blue eyes and the shine of NSI glasses peeking at him from behind the drape.

He quickly forgot his neighbor as he settled into the mattress which until now, had been comfortable enough as hospital beds go, but as he tried to rest every wrinkle in the sheets pressed against his skin like steel rods, and there was something under the mattress that felt like a pebble that was hitting him right on his spine. He squirmed in the bed trying to find a position that would allow him to relax, but he grew more agitated with each shift until a gentle hand on his shoulder froze him in place.  
He looked up startled to see the same blue eyes he had noticed earlier peering down at him in concern. The man was a little taller than he was, maybe six foot or so with broad heavy shoulders and well defined biceps. His hair was blond and he hadn't shaved that morning, but his eyes were the thing that captured Cougar's attention, dark blue with flecks of gold and green, rimmed with gold dusted lashes that would be the envy of any woman Cougar could think of. Eyes that you could lose yourself in.

The man's eyes filled his field of vision as he leaned in and his mouth was moving but Carlos couldn't hear any sound at all. Cougar started to panic when abruptly the sound was back on, so loud he flinched in pain at the sudden onslaught.  
Voices screamed receding into distant murmurs and back, high pitched screeches of metal on metal reverberated against the tiles, the whooshing sounds of the ventilators sounded like the breathing of a giant beast poised to devour him, in the hall a cart went by that had a squeaky wheel and rattled as if it was about to break into a pile of rubble.

An alarm went off, its tone strident and piercing like a stiletto through his ear. With the sounds came the stench of chemicals, rot, piss, blood and that indefinable scent that every medical facility around the world had. Carlos gagged in response, his mouth opened in a soundless scream. Then cutting though the chaos the blond's words started to make sense.

"Shh, calm down, you're safe. I promise, nothing will hurt you. Relax, dude. Take deep breaths." The voice was soothing and Carlos latched onto it as if that voice was a lifeline. The hand on his shoulder slid down to his back leaving a line of cool comfort to mark its path, almost like a cold damp cloth on sunburned skin.

The man rubbed gentle circles across his shoulder blades, all the while keeping up the verbal encouragement. Sensation, sounds and the acrid smells of the hospital receded to normal levels as he focused on the touch of his hand and sound of his voice and Cougar slumped back, leaning into the man's touch. He cringed at his overwhelming craving for contact, any contact, just something that didn't hurt. It had been so long since anyone had touched him without causing pain and he choked back a sob of relief.

Jensen kept up the back rub as the keen of pain that drew him to his new roommate's side faltered and fell silent. His ribs throbbed but he ignored the pain in favor of giving this man the comfort he needed to get himself back under control. He wasn't sure exactly what was wrong but found he could no more ignore this man's need then he could ignore his baby niece's wails whenever he was back home on leave with his sister and her family.

The man was most likely a bit shorter than Jake, and the patch of paler skin on his upper lip and chin was mute testament that he had, until recently, sported a mustache and beard. He was compact and wiry with a strong grip. The hold he had on Jensen's arm was downright painful with strong, gun callused, fingers digging into the meat of his forearm as the guy held on for dear life, but Jake just couldn't bring himself to shake him off.

His cinnamon brown eyes looked at Jake with a confusion and desperation that somehow called to something in Jensen and instinctively he pitched his voice low and steady, keeping up a dialog as the man slowly pulled himself together.  
The Latino's thin lips looked like he had chewed them to ribbons. Jensen nodded in sympathy as the man licked his lips and hissed. Given the condition of his mouth, cracked, bleeding and chapped, that had to have hurt.

"Dude, you have to try and not lick your lips like that, until we can get you something to take care of the chapping. Let me go get the nur..." Jake bit off the words as the man's grip tightened in mute protest. "All right, all right, just relax, I'm not going anywhere. Just let me get a chair before I fall down,' kay?"

Reluctantly the fingers relaxed and at last Jensen was able to ease away and get a chair. He dragged it next to the bed and thankfully sat down. The man tentatively inched his hand toward Jake as soon as he was settled. Jensen cocked his head while he considered the silent plea for contact. He didn't even know this guy's name and now he wanted to hold hands. Jake snorted softly to himself. Well, if he was going to get all handsy with someone he was at least going to introduce himself. "I'm Jensen. What's your name?"

Dark eyes blinked at Jensen for a moment and then the man croaked out, "Cougar."

"Nice to meet you, Cougar. What's going on with you, dude? You in pain? Should I call someone?" Jake blinked as Cougar's hand latched onto his forearm again. He winced as Cougar's grasp tightened. Whatever the problem was it sure wasn't lack of strength. He patted the man's hand gently. "Hey Cougs, lighten up there a bit. You leave bruises and people are gonna talk."

"Lo siento." Cougar did his best to lighten the death grip he had on Jensen's arm until the blond sighed in relief.

"'S ok. Can you tell me what's wrong?" Jake urged.

"Everything is crazy. Loud, and Dios, the stench. Can't you smell it? It hurts, everything hurts. Like fire burning me. Except you. Why don't you hurt?" Cougar turned a confused look on Jensen. "Why don't you hurt?" he asked again in a harsh whisper.

"Oh believe me, my ribs would disagree with that assessment dude." Jensen grinned.

"No, no, no, why don't you hurt me?!" Cougar's voice rose a notch on the last word, trying desperately to make Jensen understand.

"Why would I want to..." Jensen stopped at Cougar's frantic shake of his head.

"Your touch. It doesn't hurt. Everything else does," Cougar ground out slowly.

Jake had always been good at puzzles and flashes of insight. It was what made him a good hacker. With the information provided, he had a leap of intuition and sat up straight in sudden understanding. "You're a Sentinel? Why didn't you say so?" He looked around as if searching for something. "Dude! Where is your Guide? That's who you need! Wouldn't they let him come in? Or..." Jake looked at him in sympathy. "Did you recently lose him?"

"Que? Tu es loco. I'm no Sentinel." Cougar frowned at him.

Jensen lifted an eyebrow. "Really? Normal sounds are too loud, you can smell stuff nobody else can, hypersensitive touchy feely." He paused and shot Cougar a knowing look. "I bet your taste buds are whacked too and what about your eyesight? Any weird stuff there?"

Cougar frantically tried to think of something, anything, to tell Jensen, other than the fact that he had the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen. How he could get lost in all the flecks of green and gold that danced in Jensen's eyes when he smiled, and how the different shades of gold and tawny brown in his hair made Carlos want to run his hands through it to see if it felt as silky as it looked. He flushed and dropped his eyes to the sheets.

Jake nodded. "Got ya. There is something odd there too, isn't there?" He leaned forward as Cougar mumbled something in Spanish. "Sorry, I didn't quite catch that."

"They did tests. Vision and hearing are normal. If I was a Sentinel, don't you think it would have shown up? No, you are wrong." Cougar looked at Jensen bleakly. "You have to be wrong."

Jensen shrugged. "Maybe…but would it be so bad if you were? I mean think about it. It's like… it's like having super powers!" His smile brightened, inviting Carlos to share in the wonder and excitement of the thought.

Cougar looked away. How could this outgoing man even begin to understand how much more something like this would isolate him? Already a loner by profession and temperament, the last thing he needed was something else to set him apart. And then there was the whole thing of being tied to a complete stranger for the rest of his life. Cougar flinched at the thundering sound of approaching footsteps, and something that squeaked and rattled. He looked over at the doorway expectantly.

Jensen turned to see what he was looking at and then glanced back at Cougar curiously, but the man was still staring out into the hallway as if waiting for something. He looked back at the door just as a nurse walked through pushing a wheelchair.

"Corporal! What are you doing out of bed?" The nurse glared at the two of them, one hand on her hip and a sensibly shod foot tapping the floor.

Jensen stifled a laugh at how much like his mother she looked at that moment. "I was just visiting with Cougs here, ma'am," he said.

"Well visit's over. Now get your ass in this chair. You have some tests scheduled and I don't have all day, so move it, soldier."

Cougar bit back a protest as Jensen moved to comply with the order. It made no sense but he suddenly felt uneasy about his roommate leaving his sight. He smiled weakly as Jensen gave him a wave and was wheeled out of the room. Almost immediately the sheets of his bed felt rougher and his nose started to itch. He listened hard following Jensen's cheerful chatter to the nurse as she wheeled him down the hall.

*O*

Something was wrong. Jensen wasn't sure exactly what it was, but the urge to get back to his room was overwhelming. He cautiously climbed off the table and peered out into the hall looking for the nurse. The nursing station down the hall was deserted so Jake took the opportunity Lady Fortune gave him and made his escape, furtively flitting from doorway to doorway as he made his way down the halls back to the wing were his room was located.

Jensen pressed his back against the wall as the frantic flurry of activity around Alvarez spilled out into the hall. The call for a crash cart freed him from his paralysis and he dashed down the hall and barreled through the crowd in a desperate attempt to get to Cougar. He shoved a nurse away from the defibrillator as he fought his way to the bed.

"No! No! Let me through! I can help him!" Jensen grabbed the doctor and spun him around. "I can help him! Please! Let me try!" he hollered.

The doctor stared at him confused for a moment and he shook his head. "He needs..."

Jensen gripped the lapels of his lab coat and dragged him close until they were nose to nose. "He's a fucking Sentinel. You will kill him if you do that! Let me help him!" Jake ground out. He shrugged off the grasping hands of the nurses and orderlies keeping a solid hold of the doctor's coat.

The doctor froze in place as Jensen's words sunk in and he nodded. "Do it! But we will monitor and if you can't get a response in two minutes we are taking over again."

Jensen nodded and released the doctor so quickly that he stumbled back. He turned and dashed to Cougar's bed.

Cougar's gaze was blank, staring into space. His body was rigid and his breathing barely perceptible. Jensen tuned out everything around him and concentrated on the new Sentinel. He ran his hand down his arm stroking the exposed skin and then leaned in close and blew a gentle puff of air over his face.

"Cougar, listen to the sound of my voice. Come back to me. You're scaring all these pretty nurses, dude, so it's time to come back." Jensen kept talking, hardly knowing what to say he simply followed his instincts. His ribs ached from the hunched over position so he sat down on the edge of the bed and pulled Cougar closer until he was almost sitting in Jake's lap.  
Jensen slid his hand under Cougar's hair cupping the back of his neck and brushing the tender skin at his nape with a callused thumb. He rested his head against Cougar's and dropped his voice to a low mummer. A few moments later Cougar's face twitched and he took in a deep shuddering breath.

Cougar's muscles spasmed as he became aware of his surroundings. He was pressed tightly against someone whose body gave off a comforting warmth and their voice rumbled in his ear. He couldn't make sense of the words but the sound gave him a focus, something to cling to in the chaos. He tuned out all the bustle around him, leaned into the touch on the back of his neck and closed his eyes.

A scent surrounded him, lemon and... he took a tentative sniff, sandalwood and a faint musk, overlaid with hints of vanilla. It smelled good, and his muscles slowly relaxed. He edged closer to whoever was holding him, every fiber of his being craving the close contact. There was a brush of something soft against his hand so he grabbed hold, rubbing it between his thumb and fingers. He could feel the fibers like tiny cables against his skin.

Dr. Saunders sighed in relief as the Sargent took a deep breath. The man's body shook with violent shivers and the Corporal, who had just saved his life, pulled him closer as if to protect Alvarez with his own body, tucking the smaller man under his arm.  
Justin narrowed his eyes as he took in the two's behavior. While Jensen was trying to get to the sniper he had yelled at them that the man was a Sentinel which made the Corporal's actions all the more strange. The two men were from different units, they had not come in together and it was only random chance that they had been assigned the same room. As far as he knew these men did not know each other prior to today. So why had Jensen been so protective and frantic to get to Alvarez?

Unless... could Jensen be his guide? He would have to look it up. While it wasn't often a Sentinel emerged in adulthood it wasn't exactly unheard of either but for a Guide to do so? He had never heard of a single case of a Guide emerging as an adult, but if Jensen had been identified as a guide in childhood it would have been in his files. His actions, and Alvarez's response to him however, suggested the impossible.

Jensen's head snapped up as the doctor crossed the room, a low growl rumbling deep in his chest.

Justin froze in place and narrowed his eyes. "Corporal, you with me?" He studied the tech looking for some spark of recognition in his fierce gaze. The man's only reaction was to bare his teeth in a silent snarl. Justin backed up a step which seemed to help defuse some of the stress evident in the tech's body language.

"Everyone out! Let's give them some room," he ordered. As the room cleared Jensen's body relaxed even more and when the last person stepped into the hall his attention turned back to the Sentinel with only the occasional suspicious glare at the doorway.

Justin reached out and snagged one of the nurses milling around the crash cart. "Get me someone who knows something about Sentinels!"

"Yes, sir," she said and took off down the hall at a sprint.

O*O

What the fuck! Cougar pushed away from the confining arms around him and stared in confusion at his roommate. How the hell did he end up practically sitting in the man's lap? He attempted to jump to his feet and shove his way out of Jensen's loose embrace, but his legs were trapped, the ground was further away than he thought and he only succeeded in knocking both of them off balance.

Jake fell off the bed landing with a resounding crash as the IV stand fell over ripping the needle out of Cougar's hand.  
Jensen blinked as a torrent of Spanish erupted from Cougar's lips. The Sentinel sprawled on the floor facing him, his legs tangled up in the bed sheet and a fierce scowl etched across his face. The man's dark brown eyes flashed with irritation as he glared at Jake. Jensen opened his mouth to retort when he was distracted by the sound of a clearing throat.

"If you two are quite finished?" The doctor stood in the doorway and ran a hand through his hair as he sighed. He motioned to someone outside the room and stepped aside to allow two orderlies to enter. "Get these soldiers up and bring them to my office," he ordered. He paused and looked back at Jensen and Cougar, then shook his head before turning and striding off down the hall.

O*O

The doctor's office was cramped, one wall lined with makeshift bookshelves crammed with medical journals and publications. A large gray metal desk dominated one side of the small room and a scuffed brown leather recliner was tucked into the back corner with a tiny table, bearing a task light and a half empty cup of something, squeezed in beside it. Jensen looked around curiously as the orderly wheeled his chair to the door and stopped. He gingerly rose to his feet and walked the few steps into the office taking a seat in the one of the chairs. He carefully kept his gaze on the desk as Cougar followed him, dropping down into the seat next to him.

When the doctor didn't even look up or acknowledge them, Jensen fidgeted and bounced his leg, tapping his thigh until Cougar shot out a hand and pinned his fingers in an iron grasp. The Sentinel shot him a glare and a slight shake of his head.

Dr. Saunders looked up from the file he was reading and sat back in his chair studying them. "Gentlemen, we seem to have a problem here."

Jensen opened his mouth only to shut it abruptly as the doctor held up a hand to forestall him.

"Save it, Corporal. I just want to know why your Guide status is not in your paperwork."

"What? Guide? I'm not a Guide." Jensen's brow furrowed and he turned toward Cougar. "Do I look like a Guide to you? Guides are special, I'm not special. I'm just... me..." he trailed off uncertainly as Cougar scowled and sank deeper into his chair.

Dr. Saunders snorted. "Then perhaps you would like to explain your actions?"

Jensen squirmed in his seat and sheepishly looked down at the floor. "Umm... I...he... and then..." he sputtered to a halt and shrugged. "I got nothing," he admitted.

"That's a first."

Jensen's cheeks flushed as he jumped to his feet and turned to face the man in the doorway.

Cougar rose with a low growl and stepped between the two men, his arm swept back pulling the tech behind him in a subconscious protective gesture.

Jensen's hand came up and rested on Cougar's shoulder and he leaned in grounding the new Sentinel and protecting his back. It was a position that the doctor had seen before with other Sentinel/Guide pairs and he hid a smile. No matter what Jensen thought, he was definitely as 'online' as his new partner and together they were facing down Jensen's CO as if he were an enemy combatant.

The major raised an eyebrow at the united front the two men subconsciously presented and shook his head. "At ease soldiers," he barked.

Justin pursed his lips in annoyance. The major was going about this all wrong and far from setting the pair at ease the aggression pouring off him in waves was just escalating the situation out of hand.  
Sentinels reacted on instinct that much he remembered from the text books and would act to put down any threat, especially when that threat was aimed at their guide.

A slight movement drew his attention to the corporal. The man was curling in on himself, shoulders hunching as he stood in the shadow of his Sentinel.

Then the sergeant's nostrils flared and his eyes flashed with an almost primal fire. Justin wasn't sure what it was Alvarez smelled, but he looked a hair's breadth away from erupting into an attack. Time to put a stop to it. "Major, this is a private consultation. Wait outside and I will be with you shortly."

The major's irritated gaze shifted to Justin. "That is my soldier," he ground out.

Justin sat back in his chair, lips thinning as he smiled. "Be that as it may, major. In here, he is first and foremost my patient. Now please, take a seat outside and I will be with you shortly."


	3. Chapter 3

The hospital was quiet, wreathed in shadows. Nurses yawned their way through the late night shift, coming and going on silent rubber soled shoes.

Jensen tossed and turned in his bed dozing more than sleeping. Across the room Cougar rested more quietly, curled up with his back to the wall.

_A sense of urgency prodded him onward as Jensen padded up the canyon trail. The sculptured sandstone of the canyon walls rose on either side of him in undulating bands of vermilion, rust, and cream that brightened and darkened in alternating waves as he passed through patches of bright sunshine and then deep shade when the walls curled inward overhead. Cold sand slithered across his bare toes sending a shiver down his spine. He stopped as an elusive scent wafted through the narrow passage way He inhaled trying to identify the odor -sage and juniper, dust and sand, sheep and wood smoke. The smell of the desert was unmistakable and brought back memories of scorching days and frigid nights spent huddled under a tarp and eating whatever they could find during the desert survival course. Everyone said that the course was a widow maker but he had taken to the desert like he had been born there rather than in the soft woodlands of New England. _

_The faint sounds of trickling water teased his ears so he started off again in search of the source. As he drew closer the scent of green growing things and water added themselves to the perfume of the canyon lands. He eased his way past a boulder and the passage opened up on a vista that took his breath away. The path fell away and far below he caught site of smudges of blue green juniper and the gnarled twisted branches of cedar and spindly creosote bush with it's sunny flowers. A puff of smoke rose lazily above the trees. He shuffled closer to the edge and looked down searching for the path. Wind and water had smoothed the boulders which bulged out from the cliff face blocking any attempt to find a hand or foothold. It would be suicide to climb down this way. He swore and kicked a pebble over the edge, frowning as he watched it bounce its way down to land with a faint clatter in the debris below. _

"_Why do you strive so?" _

_The voice came from above him and he looked up. On a branch of a shaggy cedar tree that jutted defiantly from the rock a turkey buzzard sat perched watching him. _

"_What?" Jensen's brow furrowed. _

"_Why do you strive so? There is peace here. Do you not feel it?" _

_Jensen frowned as he looked around. "Peace? I am a soldier. There is precious little peace in my life." _

_"At least you are an honest man. I can work with that." The bird ruffled his feathers and then settled them with a flick of his wings. _

_His fingers drummed on his thigh as he fidgeted under the bird's watchful gaze. With a huff he flopped down, glaring at the bird. The rasp of his BDU's against the cold sandstone overpowered the faint trickle of the hidden water and the rustle of the breeze in the tree as he scootched around trying to get comfortable on the hard rock of the ledge. "Well? You care to explain what you mean by that?" _

_The buzzard's black eyes seemed to grow even darker as his bald head flushed crimson. He clacked his heavy beak as Jensen opened his mouth to ask more questions. "Hush and listen," he said._

_Jake shut his eyes and tilted his head. At first he heard nothing but his own breathing and a faint ringing in his ears, but as he sat quietly more sounds emerged from the silence. The wind ruffled the buzzard's feathers and teased the needles of the cedar he perched in. It danced along Jensen's ledge and played with his hair before rushing off down the canyon whistling as it went. As the wind died he could hear again the trickle of water dripping into a hidden pool and the faint screech of a hunting hawk high over head. Slowly a sense of peace crept into his heart and his muscles gradually loosened their taut grip._

"_There is a single thing that holds dominion over everything you see here. Man, animal and earth cannot escape its grip…instead we all must learn to cope. Adapt until we flow with it, instead of against it." The buzzard murmured, its voice barely rising above the gentle rush of the wind. "The question is, will you adapt or will you fall?"_

_Jensen glared at the bird in confusion. "What?" He could almost hear the laughter in Buzzard's voice as he answered._

"_That is for you to figure out young one."_

_O*O_

_Carlos crouched on his heels and one by one fed small sticks into the fire. Fragrant cedar smoke wafted his way and his nose twitched with the need to sneeze. The fire crackled and popped as it consumed the wood. Dropping the last one in he rubbed his hands together warming them above the blaze. He shivered and shuffled closer trying to dispel the chill that seemed to permeate all the way to his aching bones. His gaze was drawn to the flames as they licked their way along the stick and the bark curled up on itself and sent a tendril_ _ of smoke heavenward before igniting. _

"_Destiny can be a real bitch sometimes." _

_Carlos started and whipped around looking for the speaker. A quiet snicker laced with snaps and pops hissed behind him and he spun back around braced for a hit. But he saw no one, only a few cottonwoods, juniper and creosote bushes, the fire and the stream nestled in a cleft at the base of the canyon. His eyes narrowed as his gaze swept across the surrounding terrain searching for hiding places. The fire flared up and Carlos found himself staring into a pair of eyes filled with the wisdom of the ages. He jumped back, his hands held up in a vain attempt to protect himself. _

"_Chill dude," the face in the flames laughed. "If I wanted to hurt you there's not a damn thing you could do to stop me, now is there?" _

"_What the hell are you?" Carlos sputtered. _

_How the thing managed to convey rolling eyes Carlos wasn't sure, but he definitely got that impression. _

"_I'm what happens to wood when it gets too hot," it said slowly as if talking to an especially dense child. _

_Carlos lifted an eyebrow as he gave the fire a wry smile. "Fuego." _

"_Yep, and you're Cougar. So now that we have __**that**__ out of the way..." _

"_What do you want with me?" Cougar interrupted. His brows drew together as he studied the spirit suspiciously. _

_The fire danced in a sudden breeze and the blazing eyes sparkled with merriment. "Well, now that you mention it, I could do with a couple more logs if you don't mind and then you can sit down and just listen. I have a message for you." _

_Cougar cautiously nudged a log with his boot shoving it toward the fire. _

_Greedy tongues of flame reached out licking the wood, curling along the bark which crisped and smoldered. Cougar's toes grew hot under the steel plate of his combat boots and he snatched his foot back with a curse._

_"Hey, you play with fire...you know how the saying goes, " Fuego chuckled, its laugh like a million tiny firecrackers. _

_Cougar scowled. Fuego was right of course, you take your chances when you play games with the spirits. "Mierda, you sound like mi abuela." _

_The blaze flared up as the totem smiled broadly. "Tu abuela is a wise and powerful curandera." _

_The glare on Carlos' face softened as he thought about his tiny grandmother. _

"_You're just lucky she isn't here." the spirit continued. _

_Carlos lifted an eyebrow. _

"_Because she would box your ears if she could see you now." _

_Carlos jaw dropped as he stared at Fuego. "Que?" he sputtered. "Por que?"_

"_Think about it," the fire crackled. "I'm sure you'll figure it out. If not... go ask her." The grin that Fuego sent him was pure malicious delight at the thought. _

_*O*_

Samantha stopped on her way back to the nurses station and listened carefully. One of the patients seemed to be having a restless night. She eased the door open and slipped inside the dim room. Sergeant Alvarez, on the bed against the wall, was curled up with a frown on his face but he seemed to be resting quietly.

On the other bed however, Corporal Jensen was muttering in his sleep. She couldn't make out exactly what he was saying but whatever he was dreaming about was annoying him if the pout on his face was anything to go by. She smiled fondly at him and reached out to pull the blanket back up onto his shoulder but froze in place as a low growl sounded behind her. Slowly she turned to face the other bed, where the sergeant was half sitting up his lips curled in a snarl. His eyes were shut and he seemed to still be asleep but everything she had ever heard about Sentinels and their fierce protection of their guides flashed through her mind and she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that if she made the wrong move he would be on her before she even had time to scream. She chanced a look toward the door gauging how many steps it would take to get out. Glancing back at the sergeant she moved toward the door as smoothly and quietly as possible. With each step away from the corporal his sentinel relaxed just a bit until as she stepped into the hall, he laid back down. She breathed a sigh of relief and pulled the door shut making a note to report the incident on his chart.

_*O*_

_Jensen rolled his eyes at the bird. "I hate riddles," he muttered. __He frowned at the squawk of amusement Buzzard let out. _

_"But you're logical," the bird said. "Use that brain of yours and break it down, piece by piece. When you find the answer, you'll know. In the meantime follow her." The bird turned toward the cliff face and fluffed the feathers around his neck.._

_Jensen looked over at the rock wall but didn't see anything. Then he yelped and ducked as something dive bombed him and a loud thrum filled his ears. He scrambled backward until his back bumped into the rock behind him and he could go no further. His eyes crossed as a tiny blur of color appeared at the end of his nose and his head thumped against the wall prompting another yelp. Jensen rubbed his head sheepishly as the blur backed up and he was finally able to make out the shape of a tiny hummingbird. _

_She turned to Buzzard. "Are you sure this is the right one?" she asked dubiously. _

_Buzzard nodded gravely. "Indeed." _

_She turned back and eyed Jake for a moment hovering at eye level. "Very well then. Follow me... and don't dawdle." She darted off toward the edge of the cliff. Looking back she huffed when she saw he had not moved. "Today, soldier!" _

_Jensen scrambled to his feet and followed her to the edge of the cliff. Looking down he spotted a ledge he could get to if he was careful. Pausing he looked back at Buzzard. "Change?" _

_The big bird beamed at him and inclined his head. "Very good, young one. Change is inevitable, and one must adapt or die. Do not fear the change you are going through. Embrace it." _

_Jensen looked at the large bird waiting so patiently for his response. He took a deep breath and nodded his thanks. "I will try." Then he sat down on the edge and eased his way down the rocks until his feet found the ledge. _

_O*O_

_Cougar growled low in his throat as he felt his hackles rise. Something was out there, something dangerous. He turned slowly, eyes narrowed as he scanned the clearing for the threat. There was nothing to be seen but the certainty that he wasn't alone didn't ease, he could feel it, someone was watching him, waiting. He didn't know who, but they were there...somewhere. He waited alert and patient for something to attack, but eventually the feeling of being watched diminished and disappeared. Slowly he relaxed and finally felt safe enough to drop and sit before the fire. "What the hell was that?" _

_Fuego eyed him knowingly. "Why don't you tell me?" _

_Cougar shot him an exasperated look. "How the hell should I know?" _

_Fuego gave him an equally frustrated look. "Use your damn senses, Sentinel!" he snarled back._

And there it was. Destiny slapping him upside the head. 


	4. Chapter 4

I woke up and he was screaming  
I'd left him dreaming  
I roll over and shake him tightly, and whisper  
"If they want you, then they're gonna have to fight me."  
"Night Terror" by Laura Marling

_By the time they reached the valley floor Jake was sweating freely and his limbs were trembling from fatigue. His calves and ankles ached and his toes and fingers were cramping. He leaned against the rock trying to rub some feeling back into his hands as Hummingbird darted from flower to flower at a nearby cactus. He looked up as she came to hover in front of him. "Time to go?" _

_"Yes, and we must go swiftly and quietly. We have to cross... hostile territory." _

_Jake lifted his hand and offered her a finger to perch on. She settled down and primly folded her wings as she watched him with black eyes that gave nothing away. "Hostile territory huh? What're we up against?" _

_If she hadn't been sitting on him he would have missed the minute shudder that went through her small frame. _

_"It's called the Wendigo," she answered slowly. "It...eats people, for lack of a better term. Trust me we do not want to meet it." _

_He chuckled softly. "No worries, this is just a dream and I learned years ago how to control those. I'll protect you." _

_She cocked her head. "Are you so sure of that?" _

_He paused. "Umm, yes? Wait... are you saying this is not a dream?" _

_Hummingbird glanced away for a moment and then with another shudder turned back. "I am not supposed to do anything but guide you," she whispered. _

_Jake frowned. "Guiding me also means warning me of any danger, right?" He waited until she nodded then went on. "So? If it's just a dream we're ok. If not, than you should tell me, to keep me safe."_  
_Time passed slowly as she considered his argument and then she shook her head. "I can only lead you to find your own answers." _

_*O*_

_Cougar groaned and buried his face in the crook of his arm. He mumbled something under his breath and then shivered when Fuego chuckled. _

_"Suck it up, cupcake." _

_Cougar lifted his head and glared at the unsympathetic spirit. _

_There was a quiet snort and the air shimmered, heat waves dancing like a desert mirage as a badger appeared crouched next to the fire. It was a big animal with grizzled silvery fur, and a white stripe that ran down his face between fierce dark eyes which held no patience for Carlos' angst. "If you are quite done with your self-indulgent pity party we need to move on," he said dryly in a voice that rumbled from deep in his chest. _  
_Carlos opened his mouth to retort and then closed it with a snap. They were right. He was being a self-absorbed prick and his abuela would be ashamed of his behavior. He could feel the heat of a blush rise in his cheeks and he looked away from the two spirits, unwilling to meet what was sure to be judgmental eyes. "Lo siento," he whispered. "It is... unsettling... to be suddenly..." his stuttered to a halt, searching for the right word. _  
_"Handed such a gift?" the badger asked. _  
_"A gift?" Carlos whirled around and stared at the spirit. "It feels more like a curse to me."_  
_Badger nodded gravely. "Carlos, why did you become a warrior?" _

_"To make a difference in the world," Carlos replied. _

_"Ah," Badger's eyes crinkled in something approaching a smile. "And do you not think that your gift will allow you to make even more of a difference?"_

_Carlos flinched. The spirit had a point, but it was all so new and overwhelming. How was he supposed to just accept his new found powers and move on? Didn't they understand that it simply wasn't that easy? "What if I don't want this?" he whispered._  
_"Sometimes things we don't want to happen, happen." Badger's voice was sharp again, like a whip crack in the still air. "Dealing with the realization that the past is just that and cannot be altered is what makes us stronger. Your life has changed immeasurably. It is frightening. You think you will be even more alone as a result of your new status as a Sentinel. I say you are a fool who does not wish to see the big picture. You have been handed a chance to truly make a difference, are you warrior enough in your soul to accept that chance?"_

_Carlos' spine stiffened and he raised his head, dark eyes flashing at the challenge. _

_Fuego spoke up before Carlos could answer. "Count the cost, Sentinel, because there is no going back; for you or your Guide." _  
_Carlos shuddered. To have someone in his head 24/7 for the rest of his life. To have to trust his very sanity to a stranger? No, they asked too much of a man. He didn't need this, didn't want this... so called gift. He stiffened his spine against their disapproval. "No. You have the wrong man."_

_O*O_

_Leaving the sunset colors of the rock walls behind Jensen followed Hummingbird deeper into the canyon. Dust puffed up around his bare toes coating his feet and pants with fine grit. He stepped carefully avoiding the cactus and sharp rocks as much as possible. One wrong step and he would be in a serious world of pain. He trotted along pushing through the underbrush until they crossed a game trail and his tiny guide turned to follow it as it wove between cedar, mesquite and the occasional juniper tree. _

_"Watch your step around those," Hummingbird said as Jensen pushed aside a mesquite branch that hung low over the path. "They have thorns." _

_Jensen smiled. "I remember. Phillips, one of the guys I went through basic with, ended up sitting on a branch one night." He snickered at the memory of the man flailing around with a stick full of thorns stuck to his ass. Served the bastard right. Jake wasn't sure who exactly had placed it there but given how many people Phillips had bullied it could have been any of the guys in the squad. Personally he figured whoever had done it had simply performed a public service. Hell, the asshole was just lucky it was only mesquite and not something really nasty like cholla. _

_*O*_

_Hummingbird hissed in surprise and anger as an unexpected command filled her mind. It wasn't supposed to happen this way, not when they were so close. They had all been so sure it was just a matter of laying it all out and he would do the right thing. But one and all they had underestimated the grip of fear. She glanced back sorrowfully at the man following her so trustingly. His brilliant gold and blue aura undulated with life and joy and she shuddered to think what a tasty snack the man would be to the abomination lurking in wait. _

'How long will it take?'_ she asked. _'I will not lead him to certain death. Not this one, he is too important,'_ she said sharply. _  
_She listened for a few moments and then bowed her head in submission. _

_ Flipping her wings open she stopped and hovered before Jensen's eyes. "This way." She turned away from the safe path and headed further into the bush. _

_*O*_

_Carlos' nose wrinkled. There was a rank scent on the breeze wafting past his nose. He shook his head in disgust as the foul stench grew stronger. From out of nowhere a wave of gut clenching terror washed over him. His heart pounded and cold sweat popped on his forehead bringing a shiver of dread with it. _

_Every muscle quivered and all his senses snapped into place, fully online. He tilted his head to the side, listening with all his might; he could hear someone's breath rasping, their feet scrambling against the hard desert dirt, the rip of skin and then the smell of blood and fear. The wave of fear receded and a cold resolve settled into place. The man was resigned now, sure he was going to die but determined to go out fighting. _

_ Cougar crashed though the bushes. H leapt over a small creek and landed hard his right foot skidding in the soft mud. The badger leaned in against his leg keeping it from turning as he fought to regain his balance and he spared a glance at his companion._

_ Badger's lips were curled back in a fierce snarl, and a low steady series of growls rumbled in his chest. He surged ahead leading Carlos through the underbrush toward the sounds of combat. _

_*O*_

_Jake gasped for breath as he flung himself backwards, narrowly escaping the talons of the attacking monster. Its fangs dripped ichor as the thing roared, blood red eyes flashing with rage. _

_He scrambled away desperate to find some kind of weapon to keep it at bay. Pain shot up his leg as his ankle twisted on a rock and he fell on his ass. The creature sprang toward him and he crab crawled backward as fast as he could. Then from above a tiny blur dive bombed the creature and turned its attack aside as it tried to defend itself from her persistent assault. _  
_ It screeched as Hummingbird's beak stabbed one of its eyes. Deadly claws raked the air catching her as she tried to dodge and threw her to the ground. _

_"NO!" Jake shouted as the bird crumpled. She didn't move and he couldn't tell if she was even breathing. His questing hand wrapped around a branch and he surged to his feet swinging it like a bat. Catching the monster coming in he grinned fiercely as blood splattered from its nose and it howled in agony. _

_ Jensen gasped as a massive hand rammed into his chest and he went flying across the clearing, slamming into a boulder. He slid down sprawling on the ground and shook his head trying to clear the fuzziness from his vision. Jake looked at his shredded BDU shirt, it was soaked in blood but he wasn't sure how much was his and how much was the monster's. Shadows covered him as the monster loomed, blocking out the light with its bulk. Jake glared up defiantly, looking into the face of death, hoping his fear didn't show on his face. _

_Blood seeped from its broken nose and a gaping wound ran from its forehead down over one flaming eye to its jutting chin. He snarled at it and his grip tightened on his makeshift club. There was no way was he going to die cowering in fear, so he shifted his weight and prepared to roll when it lunged for him. If he could just get to his feet he might stand a chance of getting out of this alive. _

_O*O_

_Just ahead of him Badger burst through a shrub giving Carlos the first glimpse of the fight. On the ground he could just make out a man dressed in camo. Towering over the prone figure was a seven foot tall... monster. It stood upright like a man, its tangled black hair fading into a deep charcoal grey on its stomach and across its groin. Its scabrous hands were tipped with long jagged filthy talons that looked like they had been digging in decomposing bodies. Glowing red eyes were deep set in a face that was a sickening parody of a man's and its mouth was filled with fangs that wouldn't be out of place in something from the depths. But the worst part was the stench emanating from the beast, it made Carlos' stomach churn as the creature snarled and lumbered forward. _

_ Badger hit the thing at knee level and latched onto its calf sinking his teeth deep into the muscle, savagely shaking his head as he tore chunks of flesh out. The monster screamed and swiped at the smaller animal trying to dislodge it. _  
_It only took a second to take it all in and then Carlos dropped his head and charged, erupting through the bush into the clearing._

_ With a scream of rage he pushed off and tackled the thing around the waist, knocking it away from the man on the ground._

_ Twisting his body he reached up and clawed at the monster's face until his searching fingers found its eye sockets. He dug in and held on even as it roared, spattering him with saliva that burned as it hit his skin. The thing thrashed wildly underneath him bucking him off into a bush. He barely had time to register the prickly branches before he was dragged from the shrub by the other man. _

_Jake thrust a branch into Carlos' hand and lunged to the side flanking the beast. He swung his own weapon as hard as he could at its knee. The club shattered in his hand showering the badger with shards of wood. Jake stared at the stick that was now half the length although the jagged splinters on one end would do far more damage than before. Shifting his grip he held it against his forearm like a knife and darted back into the fight._

_The beast roared, its face contorting as it turned its attention on the blond and then it lunged toward him. Fast... so fast that it was little more than a black blur of fur and fangs. Jake barely avoided the swipe of those savage claws as he danced back leading the monster further into the clearing._

_ Carlos took advantage of its inattention and the room the blond gave him to stab it in the back with the sharp end of his stick. It spun and grabbed the branch ripping it out of his hands. Carlos swore as the rough bark took skin with it but there was no time to worry about his hands since it was his turn to harry the beast, allowing the other soldier to get in an attack. He stomped his foot and yelled and then backpedaled as it lashed out ferociously. _

_ Carlos screamed as the monster's claws tore through his shirt and dug into his shoulder, then the beast ripped down, its claws raking him to the waist. The wound was a line of fire across his chest as the smell of blood filled his nostrils and his stomach lurched._

_ He ducked as the creature lunged toward him and darted out of the way of another swipe. Scrambling for footing he tripped over something and fell to his knees. Carlos cringed in anticipation of another hit but none came. Only the screech of the beast that spiraled up to a range that sent a spike of pain through his head. Clamping his hands over his ears in a vain attempt to stop the agony he looked up through tears of pain._

_ The other soldier was pounding on the back of the monster's head, swinging his club as hard and fast as he could to drive it away from the kneeling sniper._

_ It spun around to face its attacker giving Carlos the opportunity to snatch up his branch again and stagger to his feet. _  
_Throttling down the pain and fear Carlos leapt back into the fray. Racing across the clearing he threw all his weight into a flying kick to the back of the beast's leg and was rewarded by a satisfying crack as its knee collapsed sending it crashing to the ground but a hoarse yell from the other man accompanied the monster's fall. The creature flailed stirring up a cloud of dirt that set both men coughing and choking. Carlos stumbled back trying to escape the haze that obscured his vision and coated his tongue and nostrils with a thick blanket of dust. _

_Jake grunted as the full weight of the monster landed on him pinning him beneath its bulk. He choked on hair and debris stirred up by the thing's struggles. His ears rang as it roared with fury and then suddenly he was free. It clambered to its feet and turned to chase after Carlos leaving Jensen to catch his breath. He turned to see what was happening and blanched as the creature approached the sniper who was now bent over gasping for breath. Adrenaline surged through his veins and everything receded but the urge to protect his Sentinel. _

_He lunged to his feet and with a scream of rage stabbed the thing in the neck as hard as he could. Blood spurted from the wound as it shrieked. One clawed hand went to its neck as it lashed out with the other catching Jake's face and tearing his cheek open from temple to chin. Jake screamed as pain rushed through him making the earlier agony pale in comparison. Planting both hands on its chest he shoved it away. The monster staggered back and fell to its knees finally falling over with a gurgle. The blood slowed to a trickle and finally stopped as the thing died._

_ Jake fell to his knees wheezing, his hand clamped over his torn cheek. It burned like fire and he could feel the blood slick and hot beneath his fingers as it ran down his face and covered his neck and chest. "Son of a bitch!"he groaned. He looked up as the other man crowded in and clamped a torn piece of cloth to his face. _

_"Hold this." Carlos ordered. _

_Jake gingerly held the compress to his cheek and winced in pain. He reached out one hand indicating the sniper's injuries. "You're hurt too." _

_Carlos glanced away and ran a hand through his sweat drenched hair as he searched for something to say that didn't sound inane. He squirmed as Jensen's hand lightly touched his chest and fought the urge to lean into it. Worry flooded through the bond he could feel pulsing between them._

_ A pained grunt and scramble of feet saved him from having to answer. He turned to find Badger dragging himself to his feet. The animal shook as it staggered toward him and he went to one knee burying his hands in Badger's fur. _

_ "Are you ok..." A flood of grief, regret, rage interrupted him. Jake was rocking back and forth head bowed over his hands. "Jake?" _

_Jensen glanced up with a look of profound sorrow in his eyes. "She never had a chance," he answered. He opened his hands enough for Carlos to see the tiny body of a bird cradled gently in his palm. _

_Badger made a noise deep in his throat and dragged himself over to Jake. He nuzzled the body and whined softly. Carlos followed him and knelt down next to his guide. He tentatively wrapped an arm around Jake's shoulders and then sighed as the tech leaned against him. Cougar tightened his grip and laid his cheek on the top of Jake's head. They stayed that way for a few minutes before Jensen took a deep shuddering breath._

_ "Now what?" _

_Carlos could feel the guilt and misery and gave Jake a little shake. "It wasn't your fault." _

_"She was trying to distract that... thing. To save me.. so how is this not my fault? If I had been faster maybe..."_  
_"No," Badger roused himself enough to growl. "Her sacrifice was freely given. She is resting with the Great Spirit." His voice softened as he leaned into Jake. "Be at peace Son of Adam. You forget that in the spirit realm death is not the end." _  
_Carlos closed his eyes as relief and joy flooded over him soothing his battered mind and heart. _

_"Thank you," Jake said. "So, does this mean you'll be guiding me now?" _

_ Badger glanced over at Carlos, his jaw dropping in a sly smile. He nodded toward the sniper. "He is the end of your journey young one... if he accepts his destiny." _

_Jake shifted and looked up at him. "Well? You finally gonna get your head outta your ass or are you still in the land of denial?" _

_The hint of amusement in Jake's voice kept the question from stinging too much, but Carlos still felt an overwhelming urge to go bang his head into something hard... or better yet to bang Badger's head into something hard. He didn't want to do this, but saying no to this man would be like... kicking a Golden Retriever puppy... who just wanted to love him. He suppressed a groan of frustration. There was no help for it, he was well and truly trapped unless he was willing to destroy his guide. The bond between them pulsed with dismay and embarrassment as Jake stiffened in his arms._

_ Cougar choked out a protest and clutched at his guide at the sudden realization that his stubborn pride was going to cost him, that unless he was very careful he was about to lose something precious. Something inside him, deeper than the long forgotten knowledge that he'd gleaned about sentinels and guides, told him that this man was the only thing standing between him and the spiraling out of control world of senses that had battered his psyche from the moment he'd walked out of the jungle. _

_Even now he could feel the calming presence that he identified as Jake spreading through his mind like a balm. He had seen Jake fight to protect him and he knew that the man wouldn't be a burden but even if Jake had run Carlos wouldn't be able to turn his back on him not now, not when every beat of Jake's heart seemed to be echoed by his own. It would be easier to teach himself to exist without breathing than to exist without this man who had just a few days ago been nothing more than a stranger to him. _

_His mama had always said that pride goeth before a fall and Cougar knew that his pride alone could no longer lead his existence. A sniper had to be willing to adapt and Jake was just a new adaptation, one that would make him better and it was time that he accepted that. He was a Sentinel and no amount of wishing otherwise was going to change that. It was time to man up and get on with it. _

_"...and maybe they can find you somebody that will suit you better." Jake said. The unhappiness was so thick in his voice and was echoed by the emotions Carlos could feel resonating through the bond. Add in an unhealthy dose of guilt and shame and Carlos had an almost overwhelming, irrational urge to go kill something. Except that he was the cause of all those emotions and while he was busy having an epiphany Jake had taken his silence and come to the totally wrong conclusion. _

_"So fix it already," Badger growled at him. _

_"Stop." Carlos shook Jake and pulled him around so he was looking into his eyes. "Just shut up for a minute and listen to me." _  
_Jake sputtered to a halt and stared at him. Misery and a fatalistic acceptance were etched on his face and it was all Carlos could do not to snarl. _

_"I don't want anyone else. If I must do this than it is with you." He stopped as the words got all tangled up in his brain and he just couldn't seem to make them say what he meant. _

_He knew that Jake was picking up on his frustration by the way the blond was curling in on himself. Helplessly he stared at his guide. Why couldn't he be more eloquent? Jake deserved so much more than he could ever hope to give. _  
_"Please... Jake. I can't..." He looked down unable to meet Jensen's penetrating gaze. His eyes snapped back up as strong warm hands took his and eased his aching fingers open. _

_Jake turned Carlos' hands over. The Sentinel had clenched his fists so tight that his nails had broken the skin. Gently he massaged Carlos' hands trying to soothe the pain he could sense. "Relax, if you want me, I will stay." _

_Both men turned their attention to Badger as he growled. "Now that is settled we must go."_

_"What about Hummingbird?" Jensen asked. _

_Badger sighed. "We will give her to Mother Earth, but not here where the blood of her enemy has desecrated the ground. Come, it is time you meet your spirit guides."_

_Once they were well away from the killing ground they found a sheltered spot next to the river. Badger dug a shallow grave and they laid the small bird to rest. Carlos rested his hand on Jake's shoulder and bowed his head murmuring a prayer for her. Then they followed Badger as he led them onward. _

_O*O_

_Carlos stopped and stared in awe at the huge tawny cougar watching them from the top of a bolder. The black tip of its tail lazily twitched back and forth as large gold eyes studied them. Then the cat yawned displaying a terrifying set of fangs. It climbed gracefully to its feet and stretched. Jumping down, the cat landed so lightly neither man heard a sound. It paced toward them stopping a few feet away. Disdainfully it sat, primly curling its long tail neatly around large paws. _

_Carlos flushed as Jake poked him in the ribs. "One guess who he's for." _

_A swirl of fog appeared next to Puma slowly solidifying into white fangs, pink gums and a large tongue that hung out one side in a laughing doggy grin. A furry face and naughty eyes sparkling with mischief followed the grin. _

_Carlos blinked and backed up a step eying his partner when Jensen began to laugh. _

_"Curiouser and curiouser." Jake said. _

_Carlos rolled his eyes. "That's the best you could come up with?"_

_Jake shrugged, "Come on, dude, that was good under the circumstances."_

_The rest of the body appeared leaving a coyote sitting next to the big cat in the exact same position like a pair of matching bookends. _

_Coyote grinned as Puma chuffed in annoyance. The cat turned his aloof gaze to the other spirit. "You are not nearly as funny as you think you are." _

_"But you love me for it," Coyote replied. _

_Carlos snorted, "If that cat is for me, then he," he gestured at the coyote, "must be yours... Dios help us all." _

_Puma paced forward until he was looking the sniper in the eyes. "I am pleased to see you have come to your senses." He paused as Coyote let out a bark of laughter and rolled his eyes. Turning back he pressed his nose against Carlos' chest gently and blew a puff of hot air over his wounds. _

_Carlos closed his eyes and relaxed as the sharp fiery pain of the lacerations eased leaving a cool sensation behind as the slashes closed and in mere moments the only sign of the fight was faded pink lines. _

_The cat then turned to Jensen. "Come here, pup." He waited patiently for the hacker to approach then gave him the same treatment. _

_Carlos smiled as Jensen heaved a sigh of relief. He watched in satisfaction as the horrendous gashes on Jake's cheek knit together and finally faded away to smooth skin._

_Jake reached forward and buried his hands in the cat's ruff. "Thank you," he said fervently. _

_Puma nodded his head regally. "De nada."_

_Coyote bumped his shoulder against the cat and plopped down next to him. He sniffed at Jake's chest and then sneezed. "You stink of Wendigo," he said. _

_Jake grimaced. "Yeah, we killed it and I gotta tell you, that thing was fucked up." _

_Carlos hummed in agreement and leaned against his guide, offering comfort for the sorrow he could still feel echoing down their bond. _

_Coyote nodded. "The Wendigo is born of hatred. It is evil given shape and substance. You did well to defeat it." He shook himself and turned to Carlos._

_ "Now... you, look after him," he said briskly, pointing his nose at Jensen. Switching his gaze to Jake, he jerked his head toward Carlos and said, 'And you, look after him. Both of you, try not to get kicked out of the army and avoid killing people if at all possible. Any questions?" He paused for a second. " No? Cool. Live long and prosper."_

_Carlos gaped at Coyote. _

_"What?" Coyote gave another doggy grin. "You expected something profound? From me? Seriously, dude, come on."_

_Jake watched him with narrowed eyes. "Kirk or Picard?"_

_"Que?" Carlos elbowed him, spluttering slightly. "You can't ask a spirit guide about Star Trek."_

_"I so can," retorted Jake. "He bought it up."_

_Coyote's eyes sparkled, as he looked at the tall blond. "I knew I was gonna like you. And in answer, Kirk, the original and the new version. Shatner or Pine, he kicks ass."_

_Jake grinned happily and shot Carlos a triumphant look._

_Puma delicately licked a paw and muttered disgustedly, "Canines."_

**Notes:**

My apologies for the long wait.  
My most grateful appreciation and thanks to Jujitsuelf, jodianne4eva, mishmhem, and Saral_Hylor for beta reading, hand holding, cheer leading and your friendship. It means the world to me.  
Most especially thank you to Jujitsuelf for her brilliant snarky dialog between Coyote and Jake.  
CC


	5. Chapter 5

Jake stifled a sigh and scratched at yet another bug bite. The heat and humidity was oppressive and the jungle was strangely quiet, without so much as a bird call to ease the silence. He longed for a breeze but what little there was remained high up in the canopy and none of it reached the ground. He glanced over at his sentinel who stood patiently waiting for the exercise to start. He could feel Cougar's fatigue and it echoed his own. What he really wanted was to be curled up in his bunk taking a nap in the air conditioned comfort of their room, not running around out in the jungle chasing their trainers. Not that anyone had asked him what he wanted. He yawned and then grinned as Cougar yawned back.

Six weeks into their training as a working pair and their bond was finally stabilizing. Sgt. Cobin and his guide Sgt. Trent said they were progressing well but sometimes Jake felt like it was little better than two steps forward and one step back. Today however, they were playing a little game of hide and seek and Cougars were very good at stalking and pouncing so he had no doubts that they would win this particular scenario and that meant tonight's drinks were on the other pair.

He turned to look at Carlos when a trickle of pleasure resonated over their bond. The sentinel was looking up into the tree tops with a faint smile.

"What are you looking at?"

Cougar pointed. "Flower."

Jensen craned his neck trying to spot it in amongst the green leaves of the forest canopy. Finally, halfway up the tree, nestled in a cleft between two branches, he spotted a tiny patch of vivid fuchsia, but he couldn't make out any details. Not for the first time he wished his eyesight was as good as his sentinel's.

Cougar felt Jake's wistfulness and wordlessly bumped his shoulder.

The alarm went off on Jensen's watch and the two men turned together and started down the path searching for any sign of the other pair's passage.

Cougar sniffed the air. The ripe scent of decaying leaves and rich soil was the predominant smell in the air, and every now and then he could detect the perfume of flowers. Turning his face into the breeze he caught the pungent odor of the monkeys that were eying them from the safety of the trees ahead. But he couldn't smell the other sentinel or his guide. He frowned, they hadn't passed this way that long ago and he should be able to smell something. Casting his eyes around he studied the ground, smirking when he spotted a slender twig close to the ground that had been broken. Its leaves were just beginning to wilt so it hadn't been very long since it had been damaged and it was just the right height for a boot to have caught it as someone passed by. "This way," he said.

They trotted along the path following more faint signs until they came upon a stream lined with ferns and heavy undergrowth. Signaling a halt he looked around. "I can't tell if they went up or downstream."

"Don't just use your eyes." Jake tapped his nose and then his ear.

Cougar rolled his eyes at the reminder. What the hell did Jensen think he had been doing? All he had smelled all day was vegetation and the water and now was no different; there was no scent of the other pair that he could find. How the hell had they managed that? He switched his attention to his hearing and listened carefully, but the water rushing over the rocks drowned out the ambient sounds of the jungle. He frowned and shook his head. "No scent and all I can hear is the damn stream."

"Ok, let me think a minute."

Cougar stood and patiently waited while Jake poked at the underbrush with his rifle. His guide paced up the stream a few feet mumbling under his breath, then he stopped and leaned down. "Cougs, come check this out."

Cougar knelt down next to Jensen and carefully parted the ferns. In the bed of the stream was a single boot print pointing upstream. He shared a grin with Jake. "Good catch."

"Before we go, let's go over there." Jensen pointed out a fallen tree. "I want you to try and listen past the stream. Just filter it out and see what you can hear."

Cougar sat down on the log and eyed his guide dubiously. "It's loud."

"Yeah I know. Just try, 'kay?"

Cougar nodded and closed his eyes. At first all he could hear was the water but in a few minutes other sounds came to the forefront. The distant call of birds, the wind high in the canopy, the chatter of monkeys and... a voice? He cocked his head trying to pinpoint the location. Straining to find the elusive sound he lost control and felt himself falling into a zone out. His mind reached out desperately until suddenly it felt like something caught his consciousness and cradled it, strong warmth, safety and acceptance of all he was wrapping around him, pulling him back from that awful void. His eyes flew open and Jake was rubbing his shoulders and staring down at him, blue eyes wide with concern.

"You back?"

"Yeah," Cougar said. He started to nod but even that slight movement set off a pounding behind his eyes that threatened to blind him. He bit back a groan but Jake's hands tightened; a mute warning that if he tried to hide the pain from his guide's observant eyes Jake was going to get pissy. Cougar's mouth twisted into a wry smile. Hell, the man turned into a mother hen the moment he thought anything was wrong.

Jensen's voice was pitched low like had taught him and Cougar appreciated it more than he could say. "Ok, remember what they said. Picture a dial in your mind. Move the lever down, and set it at two." The tympani behind his eyes started fading as Jake helped him get everything back under control. "You got it?"

Cougar sighed in relief and managed a tiny nod.

"Good. Next time try keeping your eyes open." Jake stepped back and turned away giving Carlos the illusion of privacy to get his act together even though both knew very well that his frustration was leaking down the bond.

When the hell was he ever going to get this shit right? Every time he thought it was under control something happened and Jake had to come save his ass again. It was fucking embarrassing. How the hell was he supposed to function like this? Even normal everyday things could send his senses into a downward spiral and he shuddered to think what would happen in the middle of the utter chaos of combat. Granted, as a sniper, he was normally out on the perimeter keeping watch but he damn well knew better than to count on that. Things could change with no warning and he had to be able to fight or he was nothing but a liability that could get his team killed.

"Stop it." Jake squatted down next to Cougar and grabbed his shoulder giving it a sharp shake. "You're getting more control every day. So just knock it off. This isn't any easier for me ya know." He snorted at the dubious look Cougar shot him. "Hell, you try keeping up with a badass ninja sniper with super powers!"

Cougar rolled his eyes but couldn't fight back the tiny smirk as Jake ranted on.

"...and shit, it's a damn good thing I already have a girlfriend cause you'd be the worse wingman ever, man. You think I haven't noticed how you strut into the bar, smile at some chick and panties fall from the heavens? Shit it's a wonder any other dude gets laid with you around stealing all the chicas." Jake shook his head in mock disgust.

"You have a girl?" Cougar asked. He quickly squashed the faint feeling of disappointment at Jake's announcement.

Jake looked away and then nodded. "Yeah, a fiancée actually. Her name is Melissa. I... I know what they said about outside relationships, but..." He stopped and Cougar flinched at the bleak look in Jensen's eyes.

"Fuck what they said. We'll work it out," he hastened to reassure his guide. If Jake loved the girl then he would do whatever it took to get along with her. But, a tiny voice in the back of his head muttered, he wasn't sure that what he was feeling from Jake was actually love. He dipped his hat brim down to hide what he was thinking as best he could while he tried to make sense of what was leaking through, but the emotions trickling down the bond were complicated and confusing. Risking a peek he was relieved that Jensen didn't seem to be paying much attention to him. His guide was staring at the ground as he talked.

"It's not like we get to see much of each other to begin with, with all the damn deployments." He shook his head and looked up. "Anyway, we outta get going before they send out the cavalry. You ready?"

Cougar nodded. "Si. Vámonos."

O*O

After two hours fighting their way through the rain forest Cougar was exhausted and his head had started pounding again. He stopped, pulled out his canteen and took a swig of water as he looked around the clearing. Two sets of footprints meandered around a fire pit filled with ashes that were still soaked with the water they used to put it out. It was enough to confirm that this was the place the other Sentinel pair had taken a break. He squatted down next to the fire and let his hand hover over the ashes. There was still a residual warmth to it and he figured it hadn't been out more than half an hour or so. They were finally catching up to the other pair. Zooming in with his eyesight he spotted a strange line pushing up the ashes and a stray beam of sunlight glinted off something metallic. A slight vibration against his cheek and a faint twang sent him from a crouch to flying tackle as Jake walked through the trip line and set off a rifle trap that was hidden in the underbrush on the edge of the makeshift camp. He knocked his guide off his feet and the two landed with a grunt and rolled across the forest floor. Cougar shoved Jake down and then hugged the ground himself as the rifle emptied its clip. Both men held still until the sound of gunfire ceased then they cautiously lifted their heads and looked around. Vivid yellow paint splattered the trees and bushes on the opposite side of the clearing.

Cougar checked his guide over and then heaved a sigh of relief when he didn't find a single drop of paint on him. "Mierda!"

Jensen motioned for him to roll over so he could see if Carlos had been hit. He grinned when he too found no paint. "No hit. Thanks dude. That was close! What clued you in?"

Cougar smiled. "Saw the tripwire, heard it and felt it when you set it off."

Jake whooped in excitement. "Way to go, Cougs! You are totally getting this down! Told you, fucking ninja." He punched Carlos' shoulder and climbed to his feet with a wicked grin of triumph.

Carlos grinned as his guide did a little victory dance. Seriously, the man was a big goof.

That had been one of the things that Cougar found the most challenging to get use to in this new partnership. A reticent man by nature his more outgoing guide was anything but. At times he sat back and watched in awe as Jake conversed with a table full of people for what seemed like hours, arms waving to make a point and his face animated and passionate about whatever the topic of conversation was at the moment. And while Carlos was an intelligent man, his partner's quicksilver genius sometimes left him floundering to follow his leaps of logic. Of course it wasn't like Jake did it intentionally. He seemed to believe that Cougar was his intellectual equal and so he never dumbed down whatever he was talking about. And he was like that with everyone. A fact that either charmed or infuriated everyone the man met.

And speaking of infuriating, more than once Cougar found himself having to glare a warning to some stupid GI who was pissed off at Jake for an imagined slight. That attitude irritated him because Jensen was unfailingly cheerful, and seemed to genuinely like people. His guide delighted in helping people, but what he just didn't seem to get though was that help was not always wanted or appreciated. For such a smart man Jensen could be incredibly dense about some things. It was a damn good thing he finally had Cougar to watch his six. He shook his head as Jake continued to dance joyfully around the small clearing. Climbing to his feet he took a moment to get his bearings. Amusing as watching Jake was, it wasn't getting them any closer to a win.  
"Jensen, time to go."

And like a switch flipped Jake went from loony bird to serious soldier. Cougar shook his head. It was going to take a lifetime to figure his friend out. He stopped in his tracks and stared at Jensen. Friends? When had that happened? When had he stopped thinking of the guide as a necessary evil and started thinking of him as an essential part of his life?

Jensen looked back at him quizzically. "What's wrong?"

Carlos shrugged one shoulder. "Nada. Just thinking." He moved forward until he was even with the blond and smirked up at him. "Let's go find those fuckers. I'm in the mood for Tequila."

Jake flashed that beautiful smile that lit up his face, his eyes twinkling with mischief, and bumped fists with him. "Oh hell yeah."

O*O

A brilliant flash sent Carlos to his knees, eyes watering and ears ringing from the accompanying explosion. He squeezed his eyes shut and pressed his hands tight against his ears moaning in pain as the tympani in his temples roared to life again. But instead of the expected comfort of his guide pressing close to help him get it under control he felt his hands jerked down to the small of his back as cold metal encircled his wrists. Quickly he made fists and flexed his forearms to keep the cuffs from being ratcheted so tight he wouldn't be able to get out of them. He kicked out trying to get away from the unseen assailant and felt a small satisfaction as his boot hit something soft. He barely heard the scream even though they were right next to him. Oh God, was he deaf now? Frantically he tried to dial up his hearing but the pain behind his eyes was overwhelming. A shadow loomed over him so he planted his feet against the person and thrust hard knocking them back. Scrambling backward he blinked furiously to clear his vision but all he could see was a blur of color and moving shapes. Dirt mounded up, cold and moist, around his hands as his movements dug furrows in the forest floor.

The scent of decaying leaves, sweat, and terror, filled his nostrils and mixed in with Jake and his own unique aroma was the scent of two others. He inhaled deeply and opened his mouth letting the odor linger on his tongue; Cobin and Trent. Panic receded as he identified the other team. As he relaxed control returned and the pain behind his eyes faded. He glared at the other Sentinel though the tears streaming down his face.

Corbin loomed over him, a fierce glare on his face. Carlos smirked as the other Sentinel moved gingerly. He must have kicked him in the balls trying to get away. Served the fucker right for using a flash bang.

Corbin grinned nastily. "Stage two. Your guide has been captured. Come find him." Then the man faded into the jungle and Carlos was alone, panting as he tried to catch his breath.

"Fuck!"

It only took a few moments of squirming to get his hands over the curve of his ass to behind his knees. He sat a couple of seconds to catch his breath then pulled his legs up and over the cuffs so his hands were in front of him allowing him to get to the pick hidden in his hat band. Then it was just a matter of teasing the cuffs open, although that was complicated by clumsiness in his hands. His scramble away from Corbin had tightened the metal around his wrists and pressed against the nerve running from elbow to fingertips leaving his fingers numb. He cursed as he dropped the pick again and had to dig in the churned up leaves to find the tiny piece of cold metal. Once he located it he gently tightened his grip as best he could and awkwardly twisted and turned the pick. Finally it was seated in the lock. He rested a moment and then he was free. The cuffs left deep red grooves in his wrists, and turned his nails a pale blue. He shook his hands as the returning rush of blood tingled and stung like millions of needles piercing his flesh. Appreciating the ability to turn down the dial on his sense of touch he massaged the feeling back into his hands, then climbed to his feet and grimly set off to find his missing guide.

O*O

Jake frowned as his lashes dragged against the coarse cloth of a blindfold. It stank of oil and sweat so much that he wrinkled his nose. A hand prodding him in the small of his back to keep moving just irritated him even more.  
Stumbling along in the wake of Sgt. Cobin he listened intently to the sounds around him. Sooner or later they would drop their guard and give him the opportunity to escape and get back to Cougar. But for now he had to keep track of the way as best he could. He might not be a Sentinel but there was still a lot he could learn by just listening and smelling. Behind him Sgt. Trent murmured directions so he wouldn't fall on the rough trail. It was only partially successful as his knees and ankles could attest. Not all the falls were accidental of course. They were moving too fast and he knew they were not taking the time to cover his slips. That would give his Sentinel a clear trail to follow. Jensen just hoped that they didn't also have booby traps along the path.

O-O

Cougar growled as he examined the deep gouge in the middle of the path where strong fingers had dug into the loose soil. Sniffing he could make out the scent of his guide mixed with the ambient odors of the forest. He couldn't smell blood and Jake's tracks showed no sign of favoring one side or the other nor did he feel any of the tell-tale signs of pain in the bond, so he didn't think Jake was injured but for some reason he had fallen to his hands and knees. He crouched down and studied the scene for a few moments and then grinned. Jake was marking the trail and the other pair was letting him get away with it. Either they didn't realize what his guide was doing or they were in too much of a hurry to take the time to blot out the signs. Regardless of the reasons Jake's little signposts would allow him to move through the forest much more rapidly than if he had to track them by scent alone. Rising to his feet he took a drink from his canteen and made sure it was tightly capped and secured to his belt. He set his pace at a steady jog following the path and keeping a sharp watch out for more evidence of the trio's passage.

O*O

Jensen could feel Cougar's irritation growing with every mile. His sentinel was working on getting a serious mad on, God help Cobin when he caught up to them. The beefy Sgt. was just damn lucky this was nothing more than a training mission because if it had been real Cougs would have likely filled his ass full of lead just on general principle. Jake grinned at that happy thought. He was as irritated as Carlos was that he had been captured and even madder that they had dragged him away from his sentinel before he could make sure he was ok and that the flashbang hadn't sent him into a zone. Of course the other pair was just as mad since he had complained non-stop until Cobin had yanked a bandana out of his pack and gagged him. To make matters worse they then tied his hands and leashed him to Trent. He really hoped that Cougar hurried up because he was itching to lay down some epic whoop ass as soon as he got free. He grunted as Trent tugged on the leash urging him to keep moving.

O*O

Cougar frowned and went down on one knee to get closer look at Jake's tracks. Something had changed. He carefully zoomed his vision in so he wouldn't miss a single clue.

There was a new hesitation in his foot placement, with the weight shifted more to the heel than normal, as if he was leaning back against something. But the next few tracks he was leaning forward with more weight on the toes. There were a few normal strides and then back to the stuttering steps. It was strange and Cougar really disliked strange. He tilted his head and then growled as he figured it out, those motherfuckers had chained his guide.

Glancing up at the sun he tried to calculate how much time he had left before sunset, but the canopy was filtering the light scattering it across the forest floor so it was impossible to tell. No matter, he would track Jake into the night if need be. Because come hell or high water he wasn't leaving his guide in Cobin's hands a second longer than he had to and if Jake had so much as a single hair out of place the other Sentinel was gonna find Cougar's boot so far up his ass he would be tasting leather for the next month! Carlos picked up his pace never even noticing the low growl deep in his chest.

O*O

Bladder aching Jake stopped in his tracks and dropped to the ground. Enough was fucking enough! He jerked on his leash pulling Trent to a halt.

"Oh bloody hell what now?" Cobin snarled.

Jensen's voice was garbled around the gag, so he set his shoulders stubbornly and tugged incessantly on the leash.  
Stalking forward Cobin jerked the bandana down so Jake could answer him.

Jake spat and then grinned nastily as he heard the other man jump away from him. "Dude! Unless you want to be smelling piss for the rest of the night you better let me take a whiz, and unless you are gonna hold it for me you gotta untie me," he smirked.

Trent snorted quietly at the look of profound aggravation on his partner's face. It wasn't often that someone could ruffle the man's calm but this guide certainly had the knack down pat. Shooting a warning glance at his sentinel he leaned down and pulled the blind fold off Jensen. "Your word you won't try and escape?"

Jensen blinked innocently. "Of course. You're testing how well Cougar can track me right? Not much of a test if I run off."

Cobin eyed him suspiciously for a moment but there was no smell of deception coming from the blond so he nodded and turned away as Trent released the other guide from his bounds. He snickered as the man leaped for the bushes babbling thanks all the way. Wrinkling his nose at the sudden sharp scent of urine he dialed down his sense of smell. Wondering which of the brass he had managed to piss off this time he rubbed his forehead hoping his headache would go away. Damn he was getting too old to be training cherries again. Especially fucking cherries that should have been caught back when they were kids! How the hell these two managed to slip through the cracks and not be identified until they were adults was a mystery even to Sentinel HQ. He leaned back into his guide's strong hands as Trent rubbed his back and shoulders.

"Damn, Adam. You think you can get any tenser? It's like trying to massage a bag of rocks," Trent teased.

Cobin grunted as his guide found a particularly sore spot. "Fucking cherries," he mumbled.

Trent chuckled. "He does grow on ya though."

Cobin snorted. "Like a damn fungus maybe."

O*O

Jensen listened to the pair as he relieved himself and then after tucking everything away he quietly eased his way through the undergrowth and away from the clearing where the two stood talking while they waited for him. He smiled as the brush gave way to a narrow game trail that ran parallel to the wider track they had been following. He stopped and rubbed his back against a tree a short way up the trail. Reaching into his pocket he pulled out an Altoid tin and pried it open. The sage leaves he had filched from the kitchen after the lecture about Sentinel allergies were a bit wilted but the double plastic baggie he had sealed them in kept them from drying out. He bruised one between his fingers and rubbed it over the tree he had scent marked. Wetting his finger he held it up to the slight breeze. Perfect. It would keep the scent from giving it away until Cobin put his nose down into the stuff and then it would be too late which would keep the Sentinel from tracking him that way, but with Trent by his side Jake didn't have to worry about the man going into a zone. He stuffed the tin back in his pocket and turned heading back the way they had come. Hopefully, with his sense of smell knocked out, Cobin would waste some time climbing the tree or looking for him up in the canopy giving Jake a few minutes of precious time to get away. He had no delusions that would fool the Sentinel for long but any time at all was an opportunity that he wasn't about to waste. It felt good to stretch after spending half the afternoon stumbling along so Jake widened his stride and settled into a steady run. Hopefully the thick foliage would absorb the sound.

The path narrowed as he ran funneling him deeper into the undergrowth. Panting harshly he slowed as the vegetation grew thicker and the path turned away from the direction he needed to go to get back to Cougar. Shit, couldn't be easy could it? Sighing Jake turned away from the path and pushed forward. This was going to leave a trail even a baby could follow let alone an Army special forces Sentinel. Picking up the pace he threw his hands out pushing aside leaves and branches, wincing as they snapped back lashing his body. Sweat poured down his spine and soaked his BDUs, acrid and slick, as he worked his way back toward the trail he was sure he would find Cougar on. A large branch slipped from his sweaty palm and smacked him across the face. Instantly his eyes teared up and his cheeks stung. He rubbed his eyes as he took a step forward but his foot found no ground beneath it. Clawing desperately he managed to grab hold of large branch. He swayed back and forth holding on as sweat pooled in his palm. He could feel his hand slipping and he clutched harder his knuckles turning white, then with an ominous crack the branch gave way and he was out in open air free falling.

O*O

Cougar stumbled as a wave of gut wrenching terror washed over him. "Jake!" He clenched his teeth against the scream of anguish that tried to claw its way out of his throat when the bond between he and his guide went ominously still.


End file.
